Top 9 Tips for Server Maintenance

Servers are the backbones of the technological world. They work all day long, every day to help you accomplish your goals. However, similar to any other machine out there you need to maintain it to ensure optimum performance. Basic maintenance of your server and its subsequent monitoring can help you in avoiding any problems. Precaution as always is better than a cure, which means that you shouldn’t start your server maintenance once your server has crashed, but rather quite a while before it. To add to your crash if your backups aren’t up to date, it could spell disaster, as it could compromise your database.

In case you use managed services, your web hosting provider is responsible for taking care of all of these responsibilities. However, if that is not the case and you have to take care of your server, here are a few things you need to keep in mind.

Ensure that your backups are functional

Backup is integral before you decide to make any changes in your server databases, as well as your systems. This helps ensure that your systems are updated and that your backups are optimally functioning. Ensure that your selection of backup and placement is perfect.

OS updates

It may seem like the most apparent thing in the world, but there are a number of businesses around the world that have operating systems that are quite outdated, which makes them vulnerable to attacks of all kinds. Even a single attack could dismantle the entire system and land you in some hot water. Updating your OS regularly should be a habit as there are patches being released that make your system more secure. If you avoid doing this or delay it, you could face unprecedented problems that could last you’re an indefinite amount of time.

Check disk operation

Your production system is not the place to save all of your data. Get rid of outdated emails, logs, and software versions that curb potential security problems. You can recover much faster if you have limited data to deal with. If your disk is more than 90% full, you need to decrease the amount you use or increase your usage. In case you’ve reached 100% usage, you could face an entire server shut down, which could lead to corruption or loss of data.

Do your server management app testing

Every few weeks it is better to get your server management tools as well as apps thoroughly tested to ensure they are in optimal working condition and that you won’t be surprised by any new issues. You should not be surprised by them breaking down out of the blue when you face an emergency.

Get rid of services that are unused

The majority of customers end up installing apps and services that they more often than not, do not use. It is extremely important to get rid of them and only keep those that are extremely essential. Every service or app could be a potential doorway for attackers to walk in, especially if they are not updated regularly. It leaves your system vulnerable to viruses and malicious attacks.

Maintain the temperature of your server room

You should use a server monitoring system to keep track of your temperature and humidity logs. You can identify any issues on that front. These can involve temperature problems, possible overheating issues or something could be wrong with the cooling systems. Identifying these problems can lead to finding a solution quickly.

Clean your server

There is a common misconception that servers are always immune to dirt because they are in an enclosed space. Regardless of how well your environment is prepped, there is still the possibility of dust going in. It could hamper its performance as well and stability as time goes on. In today’s day and age, the server hardware requires fans to ensure optimum circulation. If dirt and dust keep going into the fan, they will not function properly for long. Cleaning should be done delicately so as not to harm the system in any way.

Analyze the errors in your server logs

Logs will be generated by server OS when apps or user access encounters problems, among other issues. You can check them out using your server monitoring app, plus you can set it up to send you immediate notifications for any problem that might occur. If you put the points mentioned in this into use you’ll be able to get rid of your problems in no time as they arise.

Check system security

You can employ various editing tools in order to take care of security, keep track of your OS updates, system configuration, and various other potential risks. It could be conducted monthly or quarterly.

Conclusion

Your server maintenance is one of the most important aspects of ensuring the smooth functioning of your server. Rather than waiting till the last moment when you encounter a problem, you should take preventive measures that help in avoiding your problem altogether from occurring in the first place.